How to Winterize Your Hot Tub Before the Cold Season

You’re getting your hot tub good and ready for the spring. You’ve got everything plugged in and it won’t turn on. What gives?

If you didn’t shut your hot tub down for the winter then that may be the source of your problems now. Water freezes and it can cause pipes and other essential parts of your tub to crack and burst. Do you not know how to winterize a hot tub?

Don’t worry, we’ve got your back. Check out this quick guide to learn how to keep your hot tub safe and put away for the cold winter months.

1. Wait for the Chemicals to Dissipate

Chlorine and other chemicals that are used in your hot tub water are harmful to plants and animals. That's why you've got to let the chemicals dissipate before you can drain your tub. 

If you don't then you'll end up with dead grass in your yard or a very sick dog if they drink the water. Leave your tub alone for a few days and then check the water levels. If the chlorine level has reached 0 then you're good to drain the water. 

2. Turn the Breaker Off 

There is one other step that you have to take before the water draining can begin. You've got to make sure there is no power going into the hot tub. If you don't then you or a person who is helping you winterize the hot tub can get hurt. 

Turn off the breaker or you can unplug it as long as it's not hard-wired. Again, there can be no power going to the tub at all. You can't just flip the off switch and start the draining process. 

3. Drain the Water from Everywhere  

Open the drain cap and attach a hose to the drain spout. You're going to be releasing a ton of water so the other end of the hose needs to be in a huge open area that can handle the water. Stand back and let the water drain out of the tub. 

Doing this way can take a while. If you need to speed up the process a little you can use a sump pump or you can do both these processes at the same time.

Draining the Blower 

There are more places that need to be drained than the tub itself. You've got to drain the blower. Before you start, you'll want to turn off the heater. 

Cover the hot tub and contrary to what we said before, turn the breaker back on and plug in the tub if you unplugged it. Turn on the tub for 30 seconds to drain the blower and then turn it off and unplug everything again. 

Plumbing Lines

If you don't drain the plumbing lines then they will freeze and crack during the winter. Open the access panel to get to the pumps and heater and loosen the unions there. 

If it has a drain plug you'll want to take that off as well. This will help all the water flow out of the drain lines. 

4. Remove the Filters and Clean Them

You'll need to take the filters out and store them away for the winter. Storing a dirty filter is gross, to say the least. Soak them in a chemical solution for at least 24-hours. 

If they are disgusting beyond saving then you can toss them out and buy new filters when you're ready to open the hot tub back up. 

5. Blow Out the Lines 

So you've drained the water from the lines already but there may be some moisture left. You'll need to blow them out with a shop-vac for good measure. Make sure the shop-vac's settings are set to blow before you start. 

Place it into each drain, jet, union, and filter cavity. Let it blow air in each area for around 15 seconds. 

6. Get Rid of the Remaining Water 

When you're draining the water out of the water, a small puddle of water is always left at the bottom. If there is a bit more than a puddle left then get as much of it as you can with the sump pump. 

If there isn't that much left then you can take the shop-vac to it. This should get rid of the rest of it. 

7. Wipe the Tub Down 

Grab a non-abrasive sponge and hot tub cleaner. If you don't have any cleaner then you can use household options like baking soda or vinegar. Whatever you do, make sure you wipe down the entire tub. 

You'll want to remove the headrests to get under them. Water has the habit of getting trapped there and growing mold. 

8. Clean and Secure the Cover 

Once you've cleaned every little bit of the hot tub, it's time to move on to the cover. It's the thing that's going to be protecting your hot tub during the winter so it needs to be free from debris and grime too. 

Once you've given it a good wipe down, set it to the side to let it air out. If you don't then it could grow mold and mildew throughout the winter. 

After it's done airing out, place it on top of the tub. If you can lock it in place make sure you do that. If you don't then tiny animals may decide it's a cozy place to sleep when the weather gets cold. 

How to Winterize a Hot Tub and Keep it From Getting Damaged 

Unless your hot tub is located indoors, you're not going to keep it going during the winter. If you don't take the time to prepare the hot tub then you may come back to a few surprises when you open it back up in the spring. 

Use these tips on how to winterize a hot tub to keep it safe and clean during its long winter nap. 

Are you too busy to winterize your hot tub yourself? We've got you covered. Check out our hot tub services.